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PRESS RELEASE
JusTTouchIT 2009 South Africa’s First Kiosk Conference Report from Johannesburg!
17 August, 2009 - When I first met Frank Nunan, at a KioskCom Self Service Expo in Las Vegas, it became rapidly clear that he was on a mission. His questioning illustrated his need to learn as much as possible before returning to Johannesburg to continue serving the Self Service Market.
South Africa is rich in minerals. Minerals such as Gold, Platinum and Diamonds! While that sounds glamorous, the work associated with attaining those high value items is also dangerous, labor intensive, and represents a strong link between Labor Unions and Mine Ownership. There is a long history in South Africa which must be understood in order to begin to match up present day needs with long standing perceptions and the need for guidance. Mr. Nunan has been in this mentoring position since the turn of the century. He is a leader that represents a strong skill set. His confidence is visible through his ability to set realistic goals for his clients while maintaining that quality is more important than price.
I recently had the opportunity to share time with Frank and experience South Africa from a very unique perspective. The first ever Self Service Expo took place at the Eskom Centre in Midrand on 29-30 July, 2009. Frank’s vision of bringing together S.A. Kiosk Leaders into an educational forum was a booming success. In these challenging times when it is too easy to sit back and wait for change to happen, this one man dreamed, created, and then put into action a conference that has changed the face of our industry in South Africa.
EKN (Robert Porter): "Thank-you Frank for taking time to share a few moments with our readers. I know that you have been working for many months preparing for the JusTTouchIT 2009 Conference. With so many major players participating with familiar brands, such as IBM, Microsoft, Wincor Nixdorf and Epson just to name a few, how did you attract so much interest in this market?"
Mr. Frank Nunan
Frank Nunan: "Many thanks for your kind words, Robert. With regard to getting the major players, and others, involved, I think it was a combination of persistence, on the one hand, and the fact that I have been around for so long in the industry here, and know whose buttons to press, on the other hand. The early involvement and belief in the project by people like you also gave me and the event a huge amount of credibility."
"I have had a strong relationship with IBM South Africa, and more particularly with Kevin Kitchin of the Retail Store Solutions division, for a number of years now and their early adoption of the concept and unstinting support were major factors in raising the profile of the Conference. My thanks to you and IBM for helping me make the event possible."
Kevin Kitchin (his back to us) of IBM South Africa's Retail Store Solutions division visiting with an Attendee at JusTTouchIT 2009
EKN: "There are so many new applications making debuts across the World. Adding a display area enhanced the effectiveness of the Conference for all of the attendees. Can you please tell us about the exhibits and the technology on display?" Frank: "The variety and quality of the solutions on display pleased me – the kiosk industry in South Africa is still in its infancy, but the wide spectrum of top hardware and software solutions and applications are indicative that the industry is vibrant and alive! There were excellent examples of Retail Applications, Photo Kiosks, Holographic Technology, the latest in Multi Vendor Cell Phone Top Up, and top of class Software Applications, most of which were locally developed."
More Attendees and Delegates visiting at JusTTouchIT 2009
EKN: "Here is what people were saying about the first JustTouchIT 2009 Conference:"
Fredrik Carlegren, Senior Marketing Manager, Offerings Strategy & Planning, Self-Service Solutions, IBM Retail Stores Solutions, Madison Avenue, New York:
Fredrik Carlegren
"Congratulations on a successful event, Frank. It was a great example of collaboration - with retailers, banking, government, and many others, plus hardware, software and other services providers. The event was a great combination of thought leadership to show the value and power of self-service, while also giving insight to the details that ultimately make or break the success of a kiosk deployment. The open discussion and dialogue proves that the South African market is being primed for a future of successful self-service deployments....maybe in the near-future or it may even be closer than we think. IBM is excited to be an active partner in support of these self-service efforts in South Africa."
John Anderson, CEO Yeahpoint Holdings Pty Ltd, St Leonards, Australia:
John Anderson
"JusTTouchIT has created a platform for any entity (retailers, brands, technology companies, fabricators, etc) interested in the consumer and employee self service environment to share ideas and get an understanding of what is really driving this industry. As with any evolving concept or industry there is a lot of smoke and mirror haze out there – at JusTTouchIT it was possible to see the few organisations that are getting it right to showcase and discuss the pros and cons of this industry. As a global leader in this industry, we found the convention both unique and of immense value. We look forward to next year where we will be amongst the first to confirm support."
Vicky Ulyanova and Lyle Laxton, Laxton Kiosks, Johannesburg, S.A.:
"Frank, thank you very much for the effort that you put into the conference. I am certain this event will get stronger and stronger every year. We are happy to have been a part of it. All the best!"
"Frank - Thanks for your brave step in the right direction; to me you are a true leader with a vision in the Self Service Industry. Your effort and work for this is indicative of the success for the 2010 Conference. Hope you have already started working on the build up for that!"
EKN: "I know it may be premature to talk about what’s next but are there any future plans for next year?" Frank: "We are already in the planning stage for the next event, and as you can see from some of the comments above, all the participants are very keen to get involved again! We are also looking into other possibilities for specialized interim events such as forums, workshops and focus seminars."
Phone Top Up Kiosk at JusTTouchIT 2009
EKN: "This was an exceptional conference and venue. I know everyone learned about the Kiosk Industry and the many ways Self Service will be used in South Africa. Having such a broad cross section of the business community represented was an indicator of the maturity and responsiveness of the leadership. It appeared that all segments were represented. Frank, what was the attendee’s representation?" Frank: "We had delegates from all of the major banks, leading retail organizations, the mining sector, telecoms, advertising, and government representatives. However, the biggest representation was from companies investigating the industry as a result of demand from their customers. These included POS companies, IT support and integration companies and others. For me that is a good sign, and is indicative of the interest that is building in the industry.
Once again, Robert, my thanks to you for your enthusiastic participation and hands-on approach. I could not have done it without you! The conference laid an excellent foundation for the industry, and the future of Self-Service in this country. The future is there – all we have to do is JUST TOUCH IT!"
EKN: "In closing, we are pleased to play an active role in this unique event. If there was one observation that we left the conference with it is simply that there are an outstanding group of professionals in the Self-Service Industry in South Africa. The needs were clearly illustrated by the high quality of attendees and technology expertise that were showcased in an excellent venue. The Eskom Centre Staff were excellent! We have learned very important lessons and grown both professionaly and personnaly from this expereience. Thank you Frank and thank you to all of the people that contributed to the success of JusTTouch IT."
